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Teaching Holes by Louis Sachar – 9 Creative Activities

Let me share a teaching secret with you: I have never had a student resist the spell of Holes by Louis Sachar. This 1999 Newberry Medal-winning novel is one of those rare books that appeal to even the most reluctant readers, thanks to its interesting characters and creative, adventurous plot. Part fairy tale, part detective story, Holes centers around themes of friendship, crime, punishment, and redemption.

The novel’s teenage protagonist, Stanley Yelnats, is under a curse that has followed members of his family for generations. Stanley, who was sent to a boys’ detention center in the Texas desert after being falsely accused of stealing a pair of shoes, also has a mystery to solve. Each day, the boys at Camp Green Lake must dig holes exactly five feet wide, and five feet deep. It’s clear to Stanley that the warden of the camp is looking for something … but what could be buried under an old, dried-up lake?

Here are nine of my favorite activities for teaching Holes by Louis Sachar.

Chapters 1-5

As students read the first few chapters of Holes , they’ll probably notice that Stanley Yelnats’ full name is a palindrome – it reads the same both forwards and backward! I love it when novel studies give students an opportunity to experiment with the English language. When teaching Holes by Louis Sachar, this is the perfect time to pause and play with palindromes!

In this creative Palindromes Activity , students must read a list of creative clues and then determine the palindrome that best matches the provided information. For example, students might need to identify:

• “A woman who raises a child” (mom)
• “You might climb into this, grab a paddle, and head out onto the lake (kayak)

If bell-ringers or a morning icebreaker activity are part of your usual classroom routine, this is a fun way to incorporate your novel study into the start of your day!

Chapters 6-8

In these chapters, students encounter an interconnected story – the tale of how Stanley’s great-great-grandfather, Elya Yelnats, came to be blamed for the “curse” on his family. When teaching Holes by Louis Sachar, I like to remind students that keeping track of all the elements of the complex plot supports their understanding of the novel.

In this section, I find a graphic organizer particularly helpful for students as they track the story of Elya Yelnats, who was 15 years old at the time these events took place. This “story-within-a-story” presents a great opportunity to remind students of the basic elements of the plot, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. First, I like to have students read the entire passage on their own and then re-read to fill in the graphic organizer independently. Alternatively, you could have students complete the organizer while they read, or facilitate a whole-class discussion as you read this section of the book as a class.

Chapters 9-13

In these chapters, readers learn that X-Ray’s real name is Rex. He tells Stanley, “No one knows this, but you know why my name’s X-Ray…It’s Pig Latin for Rex.” When teaching Holes by Louis Sachar, I love to take this opportunity to teach students how to speak Pig Latin!

I begin by explaining that Pig Latin is a language game where English words are changed to hide their meaning from people who do not know the Pig Latin code! From here, it’s time for students to learn how to speak Pig Latin! For words that begin with a consonant, all the letters before the first vowel are placed at the end of the word. Then, add the suffix “-ay” to the end of each word! 

To help students understand, I like to share examples like these:

• “pig” → “igpay”
• “banana” → “ananabay”
• “trash” → “ashtray”

From here, it’s time for students to have some fun with Pig Latin! Working alone or in pairs, provide a handout with examples they can practice translating, as well as a space for them to write their own Pig Latin sentence. To wrap up, they can exchange sentences with a partner and see if they can translate the code!

Chapters 14-20

As students read Chapters 14 through 20, they might start thinking a little more deeply about the primary setting of the novel: Camp Green Lake. In this mysterious correctional center for youth, nothing is as it seems. There are no green plants to be found, and the lake has been dried up for decades! An abandoned town, Green Lake, is located next to the lakebed, and the only weather is the scorching hot Texas sun!

At this point in the novel study, I like to give students an opportunity to design and create a brochure , promoting Camp Green Lake as a correctional institute. Using a graphic organizer with provided headings, students can add information and images based on the information they have learned in the novel. Once the brochures are complete, they make an eye-catching display for a classroom or hallway bulletin board!

Chapters 21-27

As students read this section of Holes by Louis Sachar, it’s time for a teaching opportunity that provides essential historical context to the second “story-within-a-story.” The love story of Kissin’ Kate Barlow and Sam, who lived in the town of Green Lake in the late 1800s, centers around the racial tensions of the time. Integrating some nonfiction reading at this point in the novel study helps students gain a stronger understanding of the impact of racial tensions and conflict that were prevalent at this moment in time, particularly in the Southern regions of the United States. 

A two-page informative reading walks students through some of the key moments in the Civil Rights Movement, including:

• Jim Crow Laws
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• The March on Washington
• Segregation
• The Civil Rights Act

…and many more!

After students read the article, they can use a graphic organizer to summarize their understanding of these influential moments and make connections to the events of Holes .

Chapters 28-32

By the time students have reached this section of the novel, they’ll notice the ways in which all three stories – Stanley’s main plot, as well as the tales of Kissin’ Kate Barlow and Elya Yelnats – connect to each other. When teaching this portion of Holes by Louis Sachar, I like to have students take a closer look at one of the novel’s most interesting characters.

In this creative activity, students must use the information they learn about Kissin’ Kate Barlow to create a Wanted Poster for the notorious Green Lake outlaw. Students record their ideas for the poster, supported by direct evidence from Holes , on a provided graphic organizer. Once they have completed their planning, they must design and complete a good copy of their posters, including an image of Kate herself!

Chapters 33-39

Whenever I can, I like to integrate other reading skills into a middle school ELA novel study. Students can always use more practice applying their research skills, which is why I love using this Lizards Research Activity when teaching Holes by Louis Sachar!

In the novel, the yellow-spotted lizard is the most feared creature because its bite always leads to death. While this lizard doesn’t actually exist, it might pique your students’ interest – and luckily there are lots of other lizards and reptiles to learn about! For this task, students choose a real-life lizard and conduct some research about it. Using a provided graphic organizer, they can record information – including location, physical description, behaviors, and other interesting facts – about their chosen reptile. 

Once everyone has had the opportunity to research a lizard, you may wish to extend this activity. Students could make informational posters about their lizards and share them with a younger class, or they might like to participate in a peer-teach where they share their learning in a small group!

Chapters 40-45

Now that students are close to finishing the novel, I like to revisit the relationship between Stanley and Zero. At the beginning of the book, these two characters seem like complete opposites. But as the story develops, readers learn that the two are not as different as they first appear. 

In this activity for teaching Holes by Louis Sachar, ask students to compare the two boys by writing their differences and similarities in a provided Venn diagram template . Here, I like to remind students to consider their physical appearance, as well as personality traits, their relationships with others, and their personal values. 

I find it useful to structure this activity as a think-pair share. First, I set a timer, and give students a few moments to independently gather their thoughts before jotting their ideas down. Next, I invite students to work with a partner to share and refine their insights. Finally, each pair of students can share some of the highlights from their discussion with the rest of the class.

Chapters 46-50

As students wrap up their reading, one last fun activity can give them an opportunity to show off their creativity! In the Camp Green Lake Nicknames task, each student in the class can come up with their own nickname in the style of the boys who have been sent to work at Camp Green Lake.

Once each student has thought up their perfect nickname inspired by Holes , the next step is to provide a detailed explanation for why the nickname is a good fit for them! This activity can be a fun team-building opportunity for your class, and can also contribute to an eye-catching community bulletin board in your classroom!

There you go! I hope these ideas help you with your next novel study – or maybe even inspire you to try teaching Holes by Louis Sachar in middle school ELA! Grab the ready-to-use unit plan with all these activities below:

Looking for more novel study ideas? Check out my post on Hatchet by Gary Paulsen by clicking here .

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Teaching Ideas for Holes by Louis Sachar

• By Gay Miller in Book Units

October 27, 2014

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• Pat on March 15, 2015 at 9:21 am

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• customessay-s.com on September 12, 2017 at 5:37 am

I am not a teacher, but I find these activities helpful. I’ll try them out with my little son! I’m sure he’ll enjoy making spiced peaches.

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Holes Novel Study Activities for Upper Elementary

By  MARISSA DESPINS  Updated Dec 14, 2023

Holes Novel Study Activities

Louis Sachar’s Holes is one of my very favorite upper elementary novels to teach. Strong character development, a fast-paced plot, and a compelling theme make it the perfect novel study for upper elementary grades. Below I share some of my favorite Holes novel study activities – I hope you find something to use in your ELA lessons!

Interested in grabbing a COMPLETE novel study to use alongside this engaging novel? Click on the image or button below to download a copy!

Holes Chapter Summary Activities

As we make our way through the novel, I like to have my students practice their summarizing skills by completing these chapter summary graphic organizers. Summarizing is such an important skill for students to practice, as it helps them learn to pull key ideas from text and consolidate important ideas that support them.

These templates make for great Holes novel study activities, as they help students organize their chapter summaries. Also, they make great interactive notebook additions. By keeping them in their notebooks, students are able to flip back to them whenever they need to review what happened in a particular chapter.

Holes Reading Comprehension Strategy Based Questions

Reading comprehension is a complex process of understanding text. Students need to be explicitly taught strategies like questioning, visualizing, and predicting in order to actively understand the text they are reading.

When it comes to Holes novel study activities, I love to include these reading comprehension strategy question pages. They allow students to really zone in on key strategies.

At times, I have my students work on a specific strategy in isolation. For example, we may work on the skill of questioning when reading a particular chapter. This allows us to really focus in on the strategy through modeling and practice.

Other times, I like to choose multiple strategies to work on simultaneously. Repeated exposure to multiple reading strategies helps students learn to apply the strategies to their own independent reading. When faced with a complex text, they are able to open their “reading strategy toolbox” and select the ones that will work best.

Interested in reading more about teaching reading strategies? Check out our tips and tricks for building reading comprehension strategies!

Holes Character Development Activities

Stanley Yelnats is the protagonist of the story. After being accused of stealing some valuable sneakers, he is sent to a juvenile detention center at Camp Green Lake. Stanley is a truly compelling and dynamic character, and his growth is made clear to readers as the story progresses.

To further enhance your students’ understanding of Stanley’s character through visualization, consider exploring our detailed guide on  Visualization Strategies for Reading Comprehension , which can be a great complement to this character study.

The activity below is a class favorite for character analysis. It also helps with the skill of visualizing, as students must picture the character in their heads before drawing them. To complete the activity, students must closely examine the character of Stanley and consider key details about what he looks like, wears, and deems important. By actively engaging in the process of visualization while reading, students are able to better represent the character on paper.

This character chart works great for examining the way dynamic character change from the beginning of the novel to the end. At the top of the chart, students must record three words to describe Stanley at the start of the story. At the bottom of the chart, students record three words to describe him at the end of the novel. This is perfect opportunity to work on those descriptive language skills!

For additional information on teaching about character, be sure to check out of character analysis activities!

Looking for some FREE worksheets that you can use with ANY novel study? You may want to explore our free graphic organizers!

Holes Book Vs. Movie Comparison

While I typically am not a fan of books turned into movies, Holes does not disappoint. It is one of the few book adaptations I can really get behind. I like pulling it out at the end of our unit, to review the story and celebrate all of our hard work.

This graphic organizer is the perfect activity to add some rigor to your video viewing. Students can use the template to record some of the similarities and differences they noticed while watching. Completed worksheets make great interactive notebook additions! When it comes to Holes novel study activities , you can never go wrong with a good book vs movie comparison.

Holes Group Discussion Cards

As a review activity at the end of our novel study, I love using these group discussion cards to get the kids collaborating and moving around the classroom. I have used these cards in two different but equally successful ways with my learners.

The first way I have used these cards with my learners involves small group discussion. First, I divide the class into groups.  Then, I give each group a couple of task cards, some chart paper, and some markers.  Groups discuss the answers to the questions, and write their answers down on the chart paper.  When done, student groups present their answers to the class. I love this activity because each group ends up becoming experts on a few select questions, and are able to share their expertise with the entire class.

The second way I use these Holes novel study activities involves an “Around the Room Discussion”. First, I tape each task card to a sheet of chart paper, and hang the chart paper around the classroom (or hallway, or outdoor space).  Students silently and individually walk around and add their answers to the chart paper.  I encourage students to expand on each other’s answers (in an appropriate way).  When done, I bring the class back together and we share the results as a class. If you have students that tend to be too shy to share their thoughts in a group setting, this can be a really great way to encourage them to share their thinking!

You can grab these discussion cards for FREE by clicking here or on the image below!

For additional information to help you plan your next novel study, be sure to check out our free novel study planning guide!

Interested in grabbing the complete set of Holes Novel Study Activities?

Click here or on the image below to visit my TPT shop and pick up a copy of the COMPLETE Holes novel study. It contains comprehension questions, graphic organizers, and engaging projects and activities. It is a TPT best seller with over 3,500 copies sold!

You can see this unit in action by clicking on the video below:

Interested in reading more about upper elementary Novel Studies?

Check out the posts below to read more!

Hatchet Novel – Character Analysis

Upper Elementary Novel Study Favorites

The One and Only Ivan Novel Study – Free Activities

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Buy This Book * More books by Louis Sachar

There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. When unlucky Stanley Yelnats is sent there as a punishment for a crime he didn’t commit, he finds himself digging holes in the relentless heat. His own family story, and that of the outlaw Kissin’ Kate Barlow, become intertwined as he digs away to find out the truth.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

• The characters in Holes are mostly known by nicknames rather than their real names; invent appropriate new names for some of the characters.
• Write one of Stanley’s letters home. Remember that in these, he tells his parents what he thinks they want to hear rather than the truth!
• Design a wanted poster for Kissin’ Kate Barlow.
• Write a character profile for one of the characters.
• Write a newspaper report of Stanley’s trial.
• Make a storyboard for one of the timelines in the book.
• Why is the book called Holes? Can you think of an alternative title?
• Watch the film version and make a list of things that are different in the film to the book. Why do you think that is? Which do you prefer?
• Draw a map to show how Stanley’s character changes throughout the book.
• Louis Sachar has written  a guide to surviving Camp Green Lake . Can you write your own guide?
• Choose two characters from the book and write a list of similarities and differences.
• Make a list of the adjectives used to describe Camp Green Lake on the first page of the book. Using a thesaurus, add synonyms to this list.
• Write a report about conditions at Camp Green Lake.
• Make a list of ways in which characters in the book are lucky and unlucky.
• Make up some maths problems around digging holes. For example, if it takes one boy 5 hours to dig 1 hole, how long will it take 2 boys to dig 6 holes? If each hole is 1.5metres (approximately 5 feet) across, and there has to be a gap of 1 metre between holes,  what is the maximum number of holes that could be dug in an area 5m x 5m?
• Water is a precious resource, especially at Camp Green Lake. Research the reasons why water is so important to live and present them as a poster or information leaflet.
• Make a presentation about poisonous animals. What mechanisms are used to deliver poisons? Why are some animals poisonous?
• Use art software to produce a picture of the cabin at Camp Green Lake.
• Take a series of photos of a person digging a hole, then use software such as Windows Movie Maker to stitch them together into a short time-lapse film.

Design Technology

• Make a list of different ways of preserving food, including Kate Barlow’s spiced peaches.
• Design some new sneakers for Clyde Livingston.
• Stanley’s dad is trying to invent a way to recycle sneakers. Find out how items are recycled in your local area.
• Compare two paintings of lakes, for example,  Lake McArthur, Yoho Park, by James MacDonald , and  Lake George, by Georgia O’Keeffe . What are the similarities and differences between them?
• Compose a melody for the song “If only, if only, the moon speaks no reply.”
• Make a fact file about the state of Texas.
• Research a lake that has dried up.  This site is a good place to start .
• Using information from the book, draw a map of Camp Green Lake and the area around it.
• The lives of millions of people in the USA were impacted by the “Jim Crow” laws, which prevented black people from having the same rights as white people. Research and film a presentation about these laws and how they were removed through the efforts of the civil rights movement.  This Kiddle page  is a good starting point.

Physical education

• Digging holes helps Stanley to get fitter and stronger. Design a gymnastics routine that builds strength in your arms and upper body. For example, include a balance on your arms or a vault over a box.
• In the final chapter, Stanley and Zero each receive nearly 1 million dollars. If you were them, what would you spend it on?
• One of the themes of the book is friendship. In what ways do friends support each other in the book?
• Kate Barlow and Sam are not able to have a relationship due to racism. What can we do to value difference and diversity?
• Do you think that any of the boys should have been sent to Camp Green Lake? What other punishments might have been appropriate?

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Holes Novel Study Guide with Printable Activities

Getting ready to start a Holes novel study with your students? This no prep Holes Novel Study Unit is the perfect way to engage students with this great story by Louis Sachar without overwhelming them with endless lists of surface-level comprehension questions.

These activities are easy to differentiate for a whole group novel study, but they are also a great fit for literature circles or book clubs.

If you need a copy of the book, you can purchase Holes on Amazon here. (This link is an affiliate link. The book won’t cost you any more, but I earn a small commission on your purchase, which I use to maintain this site.)

What’s included in this Holes Novel Study Unit?

This novel study guide focuses on both comprehension and vocabulary. It includes five weeks worth of lessons and paper-saving printables including:

• Instructional guide with daily comprehension skill, objective, and key Tier 2 & text-based vocabulary
• Comprehension trifolds (provided in color and black & white)
• Reader’s Notebook Comprehension Prompts (matching trifolds)
• Word of the Day Text-based Vocabulary flip books
• Trifold answer keys for easy grading

Comprehension skills addressed in this novel study

These trifolds and notebook prompts were carefully selected to align with the text and comprehension skills that commonly require repeated practice opportunities.

The skills addressed in this Holes novel study include:

• Identifying main idea
• Summarizing
• Analyzing characters, relationships, and change across time
• Making inferences
• Drawing conclusions
• Identifying key themes
• Visualizing using sensory or descriptive language
• Vocabulary analysis & context clues
• Cause and effect
• Problem and solution

Each day focuses on a single comprehension skill. This was done to allow you to dive deep into the skill and ensure your students truly understand and can apply their knowledge to the text.

The comprehension prompts were written to encourage deep thinking. Students must apply the skill to generate a written response and defend their answers with text evidence.

This literary analysis fosters a deep understanding of the plot of Holes , but it also builds comprehension strategies that are applicable to other texts.

How do students practice the comprehension skills?

The daily comprehension prompts are provided in two paper-saving formats. The benefits of each format are outlined below.

The trifold format was the original design for this Holes novel study. The foldable trifolds were designed to cover a week worth of comprehension using one piece of paper. Students are given a single question each day that focuses their reading on the daily comprehension skill.

The benefit of the trifold format is that it is extremely approachable to students. Each day only takes up a third of the page, and this keeps reluctant writers from shutting down.

This also makes it easy to collect and grade. Many students use the trifold as a bookmark, helping prevent missing papers.

Want to know more? Click here to learn more about the trifold novel study format.

The Reader’s Notebook prompts are perfect for students who are advanced and need more space to provide in-depth analysis or offer an option for differentiation for those who struggle with handwriting.

Regardless of the format selected, the prompt is the same so you can easily have some students working on the trifolds while others use the notebook prompts.

What academic vocabulary is included with the Holes novel study?

Each day has at least one Tier 2 word associated with the assigned comprehension skill. This means there are over 50 academic vocabulary words included in the instructional guide.

These include general academic vocabulary and skill-specific vocabulary. A sample of the included terms is shown below:

General vocabulary:

Skill specific vocabulary:.

• figurative language

Why do you include academic vocabulary?

Tier 2 vocabulary, also known as academic language, is one of the biggest barriers to student success in school. The research on the impact of academic vocabulary is clear, and we must explicitly teach these words to our students.

To make it easy, I outline the key Tier 2 words that go with each skill. This makes it easy for you to incorporate these words into your novel study discussions and to explicitly teach students their meaning if you are working with struggling students or English Language Learners (ELLs).

Teaching text-based vocabulary in Holes

In addition to the Tier 2 vocabulary, each day also includes a text-based vocabulary word that can be found in the day’s reading. Some of the words included in this novel study include:

• inexplicable

These words can be taught using the flipbook format. Designed with conserving copies in mind, this is also designed to use one piece of paper per week.

The Word of the Day Flip Book is designed for use in interactive reading journals. Students cut the flipbook out, cut apart the tabs, and glue it into their notebooks. They leave the tabs unglued so they can write under them.

Depending on your students, you can have them generate a definition of the day’s word or generate a list of synonyms and antonyms. You can even have students draw a picture of the meaning.

How to purchase the Holes novel study

This Holes novel study unit can be purchased below or at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

There are currently nearly 200 novel studies available in my store.

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Holes by Louis Sachar Lesson plans and teaching resources

7 Creative Classroom Activities These activities include studying historical background, work with palindromes, making a timeline, working with cause and effect, more.

Teacher Guide to Holes by Louis Sachar How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes plot diagram and summary, essential questions, character maps, symbols, motifs and images, conflict analysis, vocabulary, more. Note: Storyboard That helps sponsor this site.

The Backwards Poem Assignment After listening to excerpts from Holes , students will discuss ways that author Louis Sachar uses irony, antonyms and vivid vocabulary to develop his story. Using a graphic organizer, students compare and contrast these characters/places with their names (for example, Camp Green Lake is actually a dried up lake that is a detention center for delinquent boys). This lesson focuses on word choice and voice.

Explore Writing with Louis Sachar Students make connections between the author's life and his work. They will learn about how the author comes up with ideas, and also gain insight into his writing process. Finally, they will look into their own writing process and create a collage to express how and what they like to write through words and pictures. Designed for grades 3-5.

Holes A variety of reading strategies and postreading activities, including an anticipation guide, a guided imagery activity, and a timeline.

Holes This unit plan includes 3 lessons, graphic organizers, discussion questions, and vocabulary words.

Holes Designed for grades 3-6, this site has chapter-by-chapter summaries, discussion questions, and journal topics.

Holes A variety of post-reading activities.

Holes Five activities including descriptive writing, character analysis, the reading skill of predicting, and a poetry assignment.

Holes Prereading, followup activities, and crosscurricular connections.

Holes Comprehension Companion Practice with inferences, vocabulary, quote analysis, character analysis, more. Organized by chapter.

Holes Educator's Guide Practice with character analysis, conflict, flashback, cause and effect, writing. Cross-curricular connections with science and social studies. Designed for grades 5-8 as a companion to the 2003 movie. 28 pages; Adobe Reader required.

Holes Book Discussion Guide This page features a summary, a booktalk, 11 discussion questions, and related titles.

Holes Writing Workshop Educator's Guide Practice with character analysis, notetaking skills, writer's workshop. Includes printable handouts. 12 pages; Adobe Reader required.

Questions on Books studied in YA and Children's Literature Classes Ten questions related to Holes .

Story Impressions: Judging a Book by its Key Words In this pre-reading activity, students piece together a plausible narrative based on a list of key words from the novel Holes .

Vocabulary from Holes On the "definitions" tab, each word is defined, a link to pronunciation is available, and the word is shown in current use. On the "Notes & Examples" tab, each word is defined and presented as it is used in the novel. On the "Words Only" tab, the list of all 163 words.

TEACHING RESOURCES

Holes by louis sachar 9-11.

Stanley Yelnats finds himself, after an unlucky miscarriage of justice, at Camp Green Lake.  A juvenile detention centre which isn’t green and doesn’t have a lake.  Each day, Stanley and the other inmates are forced to dig a hole 5ft wide by 5ft deep and report anything that they find in the hole.  The evil camp warden claims that this is character building but Stanley may just dig up the truth.

Writing Outcomes

• Non-Chronological report
• Informal letter writing

Topic links

• America / USA
• Crime and punishment

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Lesson Planning

Teaching resources, vipers discussion guide.

• My Storyboards

Holes by Louis Sachar

I absolutely love novels that come full circle, and Holes by Louis Sachar is one of those novels. The multiple plot lines can be confusing at first, and students may have questions about the book Holes as they read, but it all comes together in the end. This excites readers and gives them a sense of accomplishment as they realize how each plot is intertwined. Our free Holes novel study is sure to engage your students. Check out Storyboard That’s Holes book activities and our Holes lesson plans below!

Explore our fun Holes book activities now! These lesson plans are a dynamic and engaging alternative to other traditional book report ideas. Students will love creating storyboards such as a character chart, plot diagram, and more! Storyboarding allows students to demonstrate their understanding of plot, characters and literary elements with visuals and pictures as well as words. This enables students of all abilities to successfully dive deep into a novel study and enjoy the process! Our Holes lesson plans will get your students pumped about reading and analyzing this amazing story.

This is a classic novel for middle school readers that they won't soon forget, especially with Storyboard That’s Holes by Louis Sachar activities!

Student Activities for Holes

Holes by Louis Sachar Questions

• What makes a good friend?
• What is fate, and do you believe in it?
• How do your own actions shape your life?
• What is fairness? How does each plot line develop this theme?
• What is the symbolization of holes in the story?

Short Summary of the Book, Holes by Louis Sachar

Stanley Yelnats believes his family has been cursed. A story passed from generation to generation says that Elya, his great-great grandfather failed to fulfill a promise to an old Romani woman, who cursed him and his family. After being mistakenly convicted for stealing a pair of shoes, Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake. The name is deceptive, the camp is a detention center for boys in the middle of the Texan desert.

Stanley is thrown into tent D with a diverse mix of other juvenile delinquents, including a quiet boy named Zero. The “campers” are made to dig holes, under the watchful eye of Mr. Sir, the counselor. Mr. Sir claims it is to build character, but Stanley uncovers that the Warden is using the boys to help her search for something.

In a secondary plot, readers learn that Green Lake used to be a well-to-do area; rich and abundant, on the edge of a large lake. Kate, the school teacher, falls in love with Sam, a local medicinal salesman. When the two are caught kissing, the town is in an uproar because Sam is Black. Charles Walker, a member of the town’s richest family, wanted to court Kate. He leads the town in hunting down Sam, who is killed. Kate becomes known as the ruthless outlaw, “Kissing Kate Barlow”. As a bandit, she coincidentally robbed a man named Stanley Yelnats, the young protagonist’s great grandfather.

This first Stanley Yelnats also believed this is because of the Yelnats family curse. In Latvia, his father Elya fell in love, and wished to marry a young woman named Myra. Seeking the advice of Madame Zeroni, he was given a pig and told to carry it to the top of a mountain, allowing it to drink from the river. Once the pig grew, he could take it to Myra as a dowry. To repay Madame Zeroni, he was to carry her up the mountain to make her strong as well. When he goes to Myra, he is disgusted by her personality. Elya leaves for America, forgetting his end of the bargain.

These three stories collide when Zero and Stanley run away from the camp. After being in the desert for some time, they climb a mountain in search of water. Zero becomes weak and Stanley must carry him. When they reach the top they drink the water and Stanley sings a song taught to him by his family. Zero’s real name is Hector Zeroni, and he’s a descendant of Madame Zeroni. When Stanley carries him up the mountain and sings to him, the promise is fulfilled and the curse lifted. The boys then figure out that the Warden is a descendant of the Walker family and is in search of Kissing Kate’s buried Treasure, hence the endless digging of holes. They go back to a hole where Stanley found a lipstick container and find a box of treasure. The authorities are called in, the camp is shut down, and the boys live happily thereafter.

About the Author

Louis Sachar is a young-adult author who was born in 1954 in East Meadow, New York. Sachar graduated from University of California, Berkeley, and began writing shortly thereafter. He used his personal experiences working with children in an elementary school as inspiration for Sideways Stories from Wayside School , but added lots of comedy and silly elements to make the stories more engaging.

Around the time that this book was accepted for publication, Sachar began studying law at University of California, Hastings College of Law. Upon graduation, he did some part time law work while he wrote more children’s books. Obviously Sachar never continued with his career as a lawyer, as his true calling was a writer!

Holes is arguably the most popular of Louis Sachar’s books, earning him several awards including the Newbery Medal for the year’s “most distinguished contribution to American literature for children”. Sachar and his wife Carla have one daughter named Sherre, who is now a zookeeper. They live in Austin, Texas.

More Books By Louis Sachar

Louis Sachar has written many wonderful books for children. Here are just a few more! Use Storyboard That’s general novel study activities with any of these books today!

• The Marvin Redpost Series: Children will delight in these books about a redhead third grader named Marvin, who has many adventures investigating the paranormal!
• The Cardturner : A story for older students about a teenager named Alton who searches for the meaning of life while he drives his elderly uncle Lester to his bridge club several times a week.
• Small Steps : This New York Times bestseller is about a boy named Armpit (yes, Armpit!), who returns home to Texas after spending time in jail. As he takes small steps towards rebuilding his life, grand adventures take place, changing him forever!
• There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom : This popular story is about a boy named Bradley Chalkers, who is known as a troublemaker with behavior problems. When the school counselor sees that there’s more to Bradley than meets the eye, he begins to believe in himself and changes for the better.
• Fuzzy Mud : Sachar’s latest masterpiece is about Tamaya and Marshall, two kids who take the long way home from school to avoid a bully. When the fifth and seventh graders enter the off-limit path through the woods, adventure and trouble follows.

Discussion Questions to Use in Pairs or Groups

These questions may be used during reading, or upon completion of the novel. While it is best to get students discussing what they’ve read, these questions can also be answered individually in a reader’s notebook. It is always such a joy to hear the different opinions that students have, even though they are reading the same novel!

• Discuss the title of the book. What type of holes is Louis Sachar referring to? Just physical holes in the ground? Be sure to use examples from the text to explain your answer.
• The name “Camp Green Lake'' implies that it is a fun place for kids, just like any other summer camp. However, it is not at all what it seems. Discuss the setting of Camp Green Lake. Why is it such an important part of the story?
• The names of the characters in this book are often nicknames and seem to have some kind of meaning. Discuss these names with your group. Do you think they fit the personalities of the characters? Why do you think the author chose to do this? If you had to choose your own nickname, what would it be?
• What is karma? What happens to the Warden at the end of the book? Is this an example of karma? Be sure to look up the word karma and some examples of it, if you are unsure what this means.
• What are the things that happened to Stanley’s family over time? Do you think that Stanley’s family was really cursed with bad luck? Discuss with your group and be sure to provide textual evidence.
• Discuss the various themes of Holes with your group or partner. What do you think is the most important theme? What are the messages that the author is trying to get across?
• Stanley and Zero have an interesting friendship. They help each other and form an unlikely bond. What about each of them makes them a good friend? What are some of the relationships between the other characters like?
• The book centers around Stanley’s family history. Do you know much about your family history? What makes your family unique? Share what you know with your group.
• Because Kate and Sam were different races, the town was outraged and Sam was killed. How has the country changed since the time when this kind of racism was prevalent? How has it stayed the same?
• What are some freedoms that we have today that we may take for granted? What are some instances of freedoms taken away in Holes ? Be sure to provide examples from the text.

Ideas for Post-Reading Activities

Storyboard That is an excellent tool for students to create fun and engaging projects as a culminating activity after finishing a novel. In addition to our premade activities, here are some ideas that teachers can customize and assign to students to spark creativity in individual students, pairs, or small groups for a final project. Several of these ideas include Storyboard That templates that can be printed out or copied into your teacher dashboard and assigned digitally. All final projects can be printed out, presented as a slide show, or, for an extra challenge, as an animated GIF!

• For Groups: Choose a scene from the story and write a short play to reenact to the class. Use the traditional storyboard layout to plan out your scenes. You can add text to your storyboards, or simply use the cells to visualize each scene of your play.
• Using the timeline layout, retell the story in chronological order. Our timeline layout gives you the options to include year, month, day, and even hour! You may also choose to omit these altogether.
• Choose a setting from the story and create a map of the setting using the small poster or worksheet layout. Use free form or other text boxes to include a key or label the different parts of the map.
• Using one of Storyboard That’s board game templates , create a game based on the book for your classmates to play!
• For Groups: Divide the chapters of the book amongst your group members. Each member of the group creates a storyboard for their assigned chapter. This can be done as a collaborative project, or separately for longer novels.
• Using the worksheet layout and Storyboard That’s worksheet assets, create a test or a quiz for other students in the class. You can create all kinds of questions such as multiple choice, short answer, and even matching! When you are done, be sure to make an answer key.
• Using one of Storyboard That’s biography poster templates, create a poster about the character of your choice. Be sure to include important biographical features such as: place and date of birth, family life, accomplishments, etc.
• Choose a chapter from the novel and create a storyboard that shows that chapter from another character’s point of view. For an extra challenge, use the T-chart layout to compare the original point of view with another character’s point of view!
• Create a book jacket of the novel using one of Storyboard That’s book jacket templates. Use Storyboard That art to create the cover, and write a summary of the story on the back, just like real books have!
• Using one of Storyboard That’s social media templates as a starting point, create a social media page for one or more of the characters in the novel. Be sure to think how the character thinks while creating this page.
• Create a scrapbook page made by one of the characters in the novel. Storyboard That has lots of premade templates that you can use as is, or change to fit your character’s personality! Check out our scrapbook templates today!

Holes Book Report Ideas and Other Fun Activities for the Book Holes

• Using storyboards, depict the water cycle and explain why water is important.
• Show yellow spotted lizards in their natural habitat and answer questions about them. What do they eat? Where do they live? What are their predators? What other information could you add?
• Make up your own family curse and depict it using the storyboard layout of your choice.
• Write your own Holes book summary.
• Write your own version of the Holes book using the Storyboard That book maker!
• Make a Holes storyboard that depicts your favorite scene, or an alternate ending!
• Think of your own Holes by Louis Sachar activities or create your own Holes book pictures!
• Complete Holes activities made by a classmate!

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How to Create a Plot Diagram for "Holes" by Louis Sachar

Identify the key elements of the plot.

Identify the key elements of the plot in "Holes" by Louis Sachar, including the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Pay attention to significant events, conflicts, and character development throughout the story.

Choose a Plot Diagram Template

Choose a plot diagram template from Storyboard That's collection of layout options. Select a template that best fits your preferences and the level of detail you want to include in your plot diagram.

Fill in the Exposition

In the first section of the plot diagram, fill in the exposition of the story. Introduce the main characters, setting, and the initial conflict or problem they face. Provide a brief summary of the beginning of the book.

Add the Rising Action

In the next section, add the rising action of the story. Include the series of events and obstacles that the characters encounter as they work towards resolving the conflict. Show how tension and suspense build throughout the story.

Highlight the Climax

Identify the climax, which is the turning point or most intense moment of the story. It is the peak of the conflict and often involves a major decision or confrontation. Place this event in the appropriate section of the plot diagram.

Show the Falling Action and Resolution

Illustrate the falling action, which reveals the aftermath of the climax and ties up loose ends. Depict how the conflict is resolved and the story's resolution. Show the final outcome for the main characters and any important revelations or lessons learned.

Frequently Asked Questions about Holes

What is holes, about.

Holes is story about a boy named Stanley who is sent to Camp Green Lake, a place for delinquent boys, after he was accused of a theft that he didn’t commit. While there, Stanley uncovers the history of the camp, as well as the mystery of the “curse” that he believes has plagued his family for many years.

Why is the book called Holes ?

It is obvious that one reason why the book is called Holes is because Stanley and the other boys are forced to dig holes all day. However, the holes symbolize a lot of what Stanley feels at times such as hopelessness, hardship, and adversity.

Who are the main characters in the book Holes ?

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Holes | Activities and Projects

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Regular price $5.50

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This 37 page activity pack for Holes ,   by Louis Sachar,   contains 19 Common Core-aligned reading response activities. Focus standards include character analysis, theme, plot, figurative language, point of view, and more.

Open ended questions and graphic organizers are easily adaptable for every learner. Perfect for whole class, small group, or even independent study. 

Click here   to PREVIEW this resource!

Click here  for a  FREE  sample of my  Holes  Novel Study!

♥You're free to use the  printable  OR  digital  version; BOTH are included with your purchase!

♥Perfect for  distance learning . Students can access the digital version from home or school. Teachers and students can easily send this back and forth using Google Drive or Google Classroom!  (The minimum that's needed is a free Google account.  However, you may also contact me for help using this product on many other digital learning platforms!)

♥Excellent for  school  or  homeschool . No-prep and so easy for teachers, parents, and students to follow!

♥Eye-catching  digital version  contains full-color, interactive adaptations of all resources.

Click here  to read a  book summary  & i mportant teaching points  about  Holes!  

1) 19 Common Core-aligned Reading Response Activities  • Ask and Answer Questions •Umbrella Themes •Comic Strip: Katherine and Sam •Tower of Terror (focus on obstacles) •Compare and contrast Characters (Stanley and Zero) •Characters and Injustices •Settings and Emotions •Similes •Point of View: Zero •Mystery Thoughts •Holes: The Movie •Chapter Highlights •Scene Snapshot •Character Traits •Character Changes •Setting: The Five Senses •Who's your Favorite? •Figurative Language Find •My Book Review

2) Culminating Project Options •10 creative project choices for students to complete after they finish the book

3) Easy planning and Low Prep •Detailed Table of Contents outlines standard/focus and tells you when to use what •Common Core Codes included for all activities • Student Packet Cover for easy organization • All Answer Keys

4) Instructions for digital Google Drive Version

This product is contained within   my complete novel study  for this book.

For smaller components out of the complete novel study, click here. Holes | Comprehension & Vocabulary Holes | Tests

Do you need the book that this resource accompanies? Click here to purchase.

What You'll Receive:  Upon purchasing, you will download a zip file. Within the zip file, you will find multiple PDFs. One PDF is the printable version. The other PDF(s) contain instructions for how to access the digital version(s). To clarify, you will  not receive a physical book or packet. (Applies to paid products only.)

Digital Version Info: For the digital version(s), you will need Internet access and a free Google account, OR Google Classroom. Digital versions will work on computers or iPads. (To use Google Slides versions on an iPad without Google Classroom, simply have your students download the Google Slides app, available for free on iTunes.)  Within your downloaded zip file, you will see  explicit, easy-to-follow instructions that will get you started in minutes! Students will be highly engaged and freshly invigorated as they type, draw, and diagram directly into the file on their computers or tablets. They can easily share their work with you as they go, all without the hassle of paper, pencil, and copies.  (Applies to paid products only.)

Terms of Use: This product is not editable. Redistributing, editing, selling, or posting this item on the Internet are all strictly prohibited. Purchasing this product obtains one license, which allows it to be used in one classroom only. (Applies to both free and paid products.)

Refund Policy: Due to the digital nature of this resource, refunds or exchanges cannot be issued. Thank you for carefully reading the description and viewing the preview before your purchase. 

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Holes by Louis Sachar

This page contains printables that can be used for a literature study unit on the book Holes , by Louis Sachar. Download and print reading comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, bookmarks, and puzzles to use with the book.

Chapters 1-6

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Chapters 7-13

Chapters 14-20, chapters 21-28, chapters 29-35, chapters 36-42, chapters 43-50, literature circles.

We have worksheets to go along with dozens of different chapter book titles, including The Giver , Phantom Tollbooth , Mr. Popper's Penguins , Charlotte's Web and many, many more.

Use this Because of Winn-Dixie unit with your class. This page has reading comprehension questions, reading activities, vocabulary worksheets, and a whole book test.

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For students, creative writing tasks are a necessary component of their education. It supports accountability, aids with time management development, and validates what they learn in class. Still, parents and instructors may need help encouraging students to manage their school work effectively. 

Although students naturally need direction early on, encouragement of a feeling of responsibility can help them develop better study habits and academic performance as they age. 

This blog will go over practical ways to inspire students to take ownership of their written work, go beyond typical challenges, and how writing tools like Gauth could help them handle their tasks, including using an AI PS Generator to assist with their personal statement writing for example.

Challenges and Solutions for Students Struggling with Creative Writing

Although creative writing tasks create challenges that keep students from owning them, helping them to become more responsible requires an awareness and resolution of these obstacles. 

Following are some typical challenges and possible solutions:

1. Lack of Drive

Many students may find it challenging to understand the goal behind written work. They might see it as a burden or something they must overcome, not as a chance for practice and learning. Students could hesitate to do written school work independently without knowing why it’s essential.

2. Inadequate Time Control

Especially when mixing schoolwork with extracurricular activities , recreation, and family obligations, students may need help with time management . Without appropriate direction, people can feel overburdened by the task or leave projects until the last minute. While parents want to help their children do their schoolwork, pupils may start depending too much on adult assistance when this aid becomes excessive. This lessens their possibilities of growing in autonomy and compromises their capacity to own their work.

3. Specify Expectations

Knowing what is expected of them helps students take ownership of their school work. They must do their assignment on time and to the best of their abilities. Talk about deadlines, the need for organisation, and the need for work. Teachers and parents should have reasonable expectations that challenge but don’t overwhelm their children. Giving kids reasonable objectives will help them develop confidence through their obligations.

4. Divide Work Into Shorter Steps

Extensive or complex tasks might feel overwhelming to students, which causes delay or avoidance. Dividing school work into smaller, doable activities might help to reduce the anxiety around the process. For instance, if a student has a project due, help them divide it into smaller components, including material collection, concept drafting, and report writing. The one-step-at-a-time approach will help pupils feel successful as they go, strengthening their capacity to finish projects independently.

5. Appreciate Work, Not Only Results

Encouragement goes a long way in enabling pupils to own their school work. Praise students for their effort and hard work instead of concentrating only on grades or results. Even if the outcomes aren’t ideal, honour the time and effort people invest in finishing projects. By delivering step-by-step directions and explanations, Gauth offers individualised assistance that enables students to take responsibility for their written statement tasks. 

Whether they need help organising their assignments or are dealing with a challenging arithmetic issue, writing tools can guide students through difficulties and offer the support they need when facing obstacles. This mix of direction and freedom helps students acquire the skills required to assume responsibility for their education.

6. Identifying Difficulties in Learning

Students who often struggle with school work, even if they try, they might have an underlying learning disability. Under these circumstances, parents and teachers should cooperate to evaluate the issue and provide more tools or help. Early identification of difficulties helps avoid frustration and fosters a more favourable connection with schoolwork.

7. Fostering a Growth Mindset

Students who believe that they’re “just not good” at a particular subject may be less likely to take responsibility for their homework in that area. Encouraging a growth mindset—where students understand that skills and intelligence can be developed through effort—can help them overcome this mental barrier. Reinforce the idea that making mistakes is part of learning and that perseverance leads to improvement.

Helping students take responsibility for their written work is crucial in building the skills they’ll need for future academic success. By fostering independence, teaching time management, and offering the right balance of support and accountability, parents and teachers can empower students to take ownership of their education. With tools like Gauth, students can navigate challenges and become more confident, capable learners. As students grow and develop these skills, they’ll be better prepared to face more complex assignments, ultimately building a foundation for lifelong learning and responsibility.

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Exploring the Predictive Value of Self-Regulation and Thinking Skills on the Writing Performance of Iraqi Advanced EFL Learners on TOEFL iBT

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• Published: 14 October 2024

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• Mustafa Mahdi Jubier 1 ,
• Harmi Izzuan Baharum 1 &
• Seriaznita Mat Said 1  

This study aimed to explore the predictive value of self-regulation, critical thinking, and creative thinking on the writing performance of Iraqi EFL learners on TOEFL iBT, including both integrated and independent writing tasks. To this end, 300 advanced male and female Iraqi EFL learners took the Cornell Critical-Thinking Test-Level X, the Alternate Uses Test, and the writing section of TOEFL iBT and filled out the Self-Regulation Questionnaire, resulting in a total of five scores per participant. Three separate multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore the impact of these predictor variables on the integrated, independent, and total writing scores. The findings indicated that all three variables had predictive value in the total and the integrated score, while self-regulation did not impact the writing scores of the independent task. Although critical thinking demonstrated consistent predictive power across all three writing scores, the differentiation in the strength of correlations compared to the other variables highlights their unique contributions to writing performance. The strength of associations varied across the types of writing tasks, suggesting that the nature of the writing task determines the extent of impact each factor might have on learners’ performance. Moreover, excessive regulation may hinder the process of freely expressing one’s ideas in written format, while creativity may have less impact on summarizing main text ideas. Contemplating such findings may provide valuable insights for the design of writing materials and the instruction of learners especially those preparing for highly standardized English tests.

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to all of those with whom I have had the pleasure to work during this and other related projects. Each of the members of my Dissertation Committee has provided me with extensive personal and professional guidance and taught me a great deal about both scientific research and life in general. This paper is not currently under review by any journal.

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Mustafa Mahdi Jubier, Harmi Izzuan Baharum & Seriaznita Mat Said

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Jubier, M.M., Baharum, H.I. & Said, S.M. Exploring the Predictive Value of Self-Regulation and Thinking Skills on the Writing Performance of Iraqi Advanced EFL Learners on TOEFL iBT. Asia-Pacific Edu Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-024-00906-6

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HOLES - 2 WEEK DESCRIPTIVE WRITING UNIT (YEAR 6)

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Resources included (7)

2 COMPLETE LESSONS - DESCRIPTIVE WRITING HOT AND COLD TASKS - UPPER KS2

Holes by Louis Sachar - Descriptive writing SOW - Lesson 6 (precise language)

Holes by Louis Sachar - Descriptive writing SOW - Lesson 5 (similes and metaphors)

Holes by Louis Sachar - Descriptive writing SOW - Lesson 4 (personification)

Holes by Louis Sachar - Descriptive writing SOW - Lesson 3 (figurative settings)

Holes by Louis Sachar - Descriptive writing SOW - Lesson 2 (compare and contrast)

Holes by Louis Sachar - Descriptive writing SOW - Lesson 1 (features)

A narrative writing scheme of work, presentations and resources for a series of 6 lessons. There are also 2 additional lessons that sit at the start and end of the unit - a cold and a hot task.

Aimed at Upper KS2 but easily adaptable. Each lesson is differentiated at least 3 ways.

All lessons are ready to go. This unit is genuinely ready to reach and planned to a high quality.

Each lesson is also available separately and includes a presentation and all resources. Editable versions are included wherever possible.

Lessons are designed to teach children how to write in a clear and concise way. In grammar starters and individual lessons there is a focus on editing basic errors and writing sentences that make sense.

This scheme was incredibly engaging and produced brilliant pieces of writing.

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